Helpful Handsaws

Here are a few tips and techniques that will help you get the most from a handsaw.

Keep it sharp. You can learn to file the teeth yourself or have a pro sharpen your saw. Hardened teeth probably will require grinding, a job for a sharpening shop.

Hold it straight. With a D-handle, extend your index finger along the side, as shown below. This helps keep your hand and wrist aligned on the handle. When you grasp the Japanese saw's straight handle, place your thumb along the top. Keep the handle aligned with your arm.

Cut with long, smooth strokes. Speed isn't critical; you'll do better to maintain an even cadence. Your elbow and the saw blade should move along a line in the same vertical plane.

Watch the reflection in the saw. You can make sure you're cutting squarely by keeping an eye on the reflection of the workpiece in the saw blade. When it appears to run straight through the saw as shown at right, you're square.